Posted on December 16, 2011 22:15
AmaZulu were comfortable 2-1 winners over a flat Santos at the Athlone Stadium, Cape Town on Friday night.
The conditions were perfect - warm and not a breath of wind, but in front of a sparse crowd, the first half failed to deliver much in the way of enterprising or entertaining play.
Santos, with interim coach Duncan Crowie at the helm, seemed to lack cohesion and confidence early on as some poor passes and several mistakes were made.
For their part the KwaZulu-Natal outfit didn't offer much in the way of innovative or penetrating football.
Usuthu had the chance to draw first blood in the 15th minute, but Goodman Dlamini's shot was easily saved by Ryan Harrison, while 10 minutes later Phikolomzi Kefile sent a 30-yard shot whizzing over the visiting team's bar.
The next chance also fell to Santos, but from an angle Vuyisile Wana went well wide with a left-footed drive.
Erwin Isaacs was next to search out a goal for the People's Team, but from 15-yards he was not able to beat Tapuwa Kapini with a thumping header.
AmaZulu took the lead two minutes before the break when Goodman Dlamini turned and shot goalwards, his shot deflecting past a wrong-footed Harrison.
Ten minutes after the break Santos were two goals down as some enterprising play from the Durban side saw Tamsanqa Sangweni put through on goal, with the national under-23 man showing a cool head with a composed left-footed finish.
Santos managed to get the ball into AmaZulu's box a couple of times, but without reward as they tried to muster a reply, having brought on Eleazar Rodgers as a substitute.
It was at the other end though that another goal nearly went in as Marc van Heerden forced Harrison to scramble back onto his line with an attempted chip from close to 50 metres out.
There were half chances at both ends in the closing minutes before, deep in injury time, Rodgers buried a header from close range following Kefile's pin-point cross.